E. BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (October 13, 2008) – UFC lightweight contender Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon, 17-4, 4 KOs, 13 submissions), star of The Ultimate Fighter 5 television reality show, leaves tomorrow on a 10-day goodwill trip visiting U.S. military troops in Iraq.

Fellow mixed-martial arts fighters Jorge Rivera and Heath Herring are among the other athletes on the trip. “It’s going to be an amazing experience,” 24-year-old Lauzon said. “I can’t wait to go overseas and see the troops in Iraq.”

For more information about Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon, who has a Bachelor’s degree in computer networking from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, go online and visit www.joelauzon.com or myspace.com/lauzonrsd.

THIS WEDNESDAY, 2 P.M., BANKATLANTIC CENTERFOR SATURDAY’S PRIMETIME CBS ELITEXC FIGHT CARD

WHO/WHAT:
The CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS fighters and those appearing on the undercard will participate in the FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE  before the big event, Saturday, Oct. 4, at the BankAtlantic Center at Sunrise, Fla. The third installment of CBS’s primetime MMA event will be broadcast live on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

The televised lineup for CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS:
Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock (heavyweights);
EliteXC 170-pound champion Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley;
Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy  “Big Country" Nelson (heavyweights);
Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold (140 pounds);
and Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Benji Radach (middleweights)

Tickets start at $30 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (954) 523-3309 in Broward County, (305) 358-5885 in Dade County and (561) 966-3309 in Palm Beach County, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the BankAtlantic Center box offices (954) 835-7825. The BankAtlantic Center box offices’ normal business hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will be open the day of the event beginning at 10 a.m. The first live fight begins at 6 p.m. ET.

WHERE:
Chairman's Club at BankAtlantic Center 1 Panther Parkway; Sunrise, Fla. 33323

WHEN:
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008; 2 p.m. ET  CBS Press Contacts:
Mitch Graham  323-575-2415 mitch.graham@tvc.cbs.com
Brett Gold 212-975-7931  brett.gold@cbs.com

Showtime Sports Contact:
Chris DeBlasio 212-708-1633 chris.deblasio@showtime.net  BankAtlantic Center:
Tom Embry    954-835-8042  EliteXC Contact (Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc.)
John Beyrooty 562-233-7477 Johnnybey@aol.com

Trump Organization & Affliction Entertainment Contact: Michael Cohen 212-836-3212 mcohen@trumporg.com

Middleweight kingpin likely to hang up gloves at end of current deal

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, who is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, is planning to retire at the age of 35, his manager Ed Soares told NBCSports.com.

Silva made waves in the MMA community last week when he reportedly told a Brazilian cable channel that he expected to retire next year. The interview has not yet aired but the alleged statement was released in a written excerpt.

Soares said Silva retiring next year was "absolutely impossible," but that he likely would finish his current contract before calling it quits.

Torn meniscus sends 'Mexican Fedor' for surgery and rehabilitation

 

The UFC had hoped to see Velasquez return to action on a Dec. 10 event scheduled for Fort Bragg, N.C.

Velasquez is a former Arizona State wrestler who earned All-America status twice during his collegiate career. He has been a quick study in MMA with a perfect 4-0 record and has dominated in both of his UFC fights with first-round TKOs.

Though he comes in with a wrestling background, the 26-year-old Velasquez has drawn raves from his teammates, trainers and insiders who praise his aptitude for learning and athletic ability.

Current Affliction fighter Paul Buentello is one of Velasquez's stablemates at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif. Buentello is a seasoned and respected fighter with almost 40 fights to his credit and has fought in major promotions including the UFC and Strikeforce.

"I think he'll give [current interim champ Antonio Rodrigo] Nogueira a good run for his money right now," Buentello said. "He's a push-push kind of guy. He just keeps going forward. He doesn't care. He's a Mexican version of Fedor Emelianenko. He has no worries about engaging. He overlooks it and goes straight forward."

Velasquez has adapted quickly to the standup game under the tutelage of AKA striking coach Javier Mendez. All four of his wins have been knockouts coming inside of a round.  In his April 2008 UFC debut, he overwhelmed Brad Morris in just 2:10. In July, he needed only 2:02 to finish off Jake O’Brien. In addition, he is noted for having an incredible work ethic and unending stamina which Buentello likens to a "marathon runner or Ironman triathlete."

Many insiders see him as the eventual heir to the heavyweight division.

...TO CAPTURE FIRST-EVER ELITEXC BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE IN MAIN EVENT ON SHOXC: ELITE CHALLENGER SERIES
Friday, Sept. 26, at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez, California 

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (Sept. 27, 2008) – In an excellent, competitive matchup between skilled, determined, well-conditioned fighters, unbeaten Brazilian Wilson Reis (6-0) of Philadelphia registered a close, unanimous five-round decision over Abel Cullum (11-2) of Tucumcari, N.M., to capture the first-ever EliteXC bantamweight title Friday in the main event on ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series.
Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC presented the crowd-pleasing event from the Chumash Casino Resort. It aired on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

In other SHOWTIME fights, Shane Del Rosario (5-0) of Irvine, Calif., scored a second-round TKO (strikes) over Carl Seumanutafa (4-1) of San Francisco, Calif.; in perhaps the fight of the night,  David “Tarzan” Douglas (6-1) of Antioch, Calif., registered an upset third-round TKO (strikes) over Malaipet (3-3) of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Jaime Jara (20-5) of North Highlands, Calif., earned a hard-fought split decision over previously undefeated Giva  Santana (12-1) of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and Eric “Bad” Apple (10-1) of Orange County, Calif., submitted (rear naked choke) Matt  Makowski (3-1) of Philadelphia in the second round.
Non-televised bouts: Scott Lighty (4-0) of San Luis Obispo, Calif., registered a 4:15, first-round TKO (strikes) over Jamiah Williamson (3-1) of Los Angeles; Damian Douglas (3-1) of Antioch scored a 0:46, first-round submission over  Joe Schilling (1-3) of Los Angeles; Steve Gable (3-0) of San Diego, Calif.,  won a split decision (29-28 twice and 28-29) over Josh McDonald (3-3) of San Francisco; Luke Riddering (2-0) of San Luis Obispo, Calif., stopped John Corstophine (1-2) of North Highlands, Calif., on strikes at 3:44 of the first; and Fernando Bettega (3-2) of Los Angeles submitted Mono Otero (3-3) of Albuquerque, N.M., with a rear naked choke a 2:27 of the opening round.  The main event fighters – both Abel and Wilson – displayed high-level grappling skills, but Reis (pronounced “H-ace’’) did enough to ground out a victory by the scores of 49-46 twice and 48-47.

“This was my dream, to win the 140-pound world title,’’ said southpaw Reis, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt stud who improved to 4-0 since coming to EliteXC in January 2008. “This is all very exciting.’’
 
Cullum, who had a 10-fight winning streak snapped, appeared physically smaller and was stepping up in weight. But he gave a fantastic account of himself, landed the vast majority of the telling punches and seemed to win over the crowd in attendance.
 
REIS OUTPOINTS CULLUM TO CAPTURE ELITEXC 140-POUND TITLE
“No one wants to lose, but he was a strong guy and tough for me to keep off,’’ said Cullum, the King of the Cage 135-pound titleholder. “I wanted to be the aggressor, but I wound up on the ground too much. I thought the referee could have stood us up a couple of times, but it didn’t happen.’’
Del Rosario mostly dominated before the fight was stopped at 1:07 of the second.  “I didn’t feel that good before the fight but once I got into the cage I was fine,’’ said Del Rosario, who was making his third consecutive appearance on ShoXC. “I thought I had him once, and he came sort of close to getting me, but overall I am very happy.’’ For sheer excitement, Douglas-Malaipet was as good as it gets. A fight that featured numerous changes in momentum exceeded all expectations until it was stopped at 2:51 or the third. “I stuck to my game plan, never quit and came out on top,’’ Douglas said. “I have never been in a fight this hard and I am exhausted and know I will be hurting tomorrow. But getting the victory makes it all worthwhile.’’

Malaipet, a Lumpinee champ in Thailand, lost his second consecutive start. The world-class kickboxer is an extremely dangerous striker, but he lacks a ground game and it cost him again.
 
“I thought I would do better on the ground, but overall I am happy,’’ said Malaipet, who was cut badly below his eye. “You haven’t seen the last of me and I thank all my fans for their support.’’
In an exceptional effort, Jara outpointed Santana by the scores of 29-28 twice and 28-29. The victory was the fourth in a row for Jara, who is 15-1 with one No Contest since June 2004.“This was my hardest fight and he is definitely the toughest fighter I have faced,’’ Jara said. “I knew it was tight, but I felt I had done enough to win.Santana is known as “The Arm Collector.” Ten of the unbeaten submission whiz’s 11 victories have come by armbar. But he did not come close to submitting Jara, who has not tapped out since November 2003. “I am not going to complain about the decision but I felt I’d done enough to win and landed all the harder punches, especially in the third round.’’

Apple, who was making his ShoXC debut and first start since March 2007, forced the previously unbeaten Makowski to tape out at 2:04 of the second.
 

“I thought I was going to break his arm,’’ Apple said. “I came in thinking I was a little better than he was in all aspects of the game, and I was right. This was the perfect fight to knock the ring rust off.’’
ShoXC, a presentation of EliteXC, showcases young, talented fighters in tough matchups. A springboard for the future stars and champions of EliteXC, ShoXC is patterned after the SHOWTIME boxing series ShoBox: The New Generation.

REIS OUTPOINTS CULLUM TO CAPTURE ELITEXC 140-POUND TITLE
EliteXC announcer Mauro Ranallo called the action from cage side with The Fight Professor, Stephen Quadros serving as expert analyst. The producer of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series is Richard Gaughan with Rick Phillips directing. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins, Jr.

For more information on the entire card, go to http://www.elitexc.com. For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete fighter and telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.
About ProElite, Inc.

ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, broadcast and cable television programming on CBS and Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts.  In addition to offering the most exciting live fights to the web via VOD, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations.  ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.  Contacts: Showtime Networks Inc.  EliteXC (Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc.)Chris DeBlasio / Annie Van Tornhout
John Beyrooty(212) 708-1633 / (212) 708-1663 (562) 233-7477Chris.DeBlasio@Showtime.net /Anne.Vantornhout@Showtime.net      Johnnybey@aol.com     

 

Be sure to tune in – MONDAY, September 22, 2008 – 7:00pmEST/ 4:00pm PST

G4’s “Attack Of The Show” takes viewers behind the scenes and into the cage on the grounds of The Playboy Mansion during “Strikeforce At The Mansion II.”

To find out where to watch in your area please visit: http://www.g4tv.com/channel.aspx

BE SURE TO TUNE IN!!!

 

Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano participated in a well-attended open media workout Wednesday at Legends Mixed Martial Arts Training Center in Los Angeles.�The fighters will appear on the�upcoming third installment of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, broadcast live from the BankAtlantic Center, in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday, Oct. 4 (9-11 p.m., ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

A major attraction, the undefeated, incredibly popular Kimbo, of Perrine, Fla., near Miami, will face legendary Hall Of Famer Ken Shamrock in a featured fight on a stellar, star-studded mixed martial arts card that includes women's superstar Gina Conviction, Carano and MMA standouts Jake Shields, Paul Daley and Murilo Ninja, Rua.

Tickets start at $30 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (954) 523-3309 in Broward County, (305) 358-5885 in Dade County and (561) 966-3309 in Palm Beach County, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the BankAtlantic Center box offices (954) 835-7825.

The BankAtlantic Center box offices are located on both the North and South sides of the main entrance. Their normal business hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will be open the day of the event beginning at 10 a.m. The first live fight begins at 6 p.m. ET. The event is presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.'s live fight division, EliteXC.

Besides Kimbo-Shamrock, Shields defends his EliteXC welterweight belt against Daley, Carano collides with Kelly Kobold in a 140-pound bout and Rua, a former EliteXC middleweight belt-holder, faces Benji Radach at 185 pounds. Cristiane Cyborg Santos meets Yoko Takahashi and Florida-based Edson Berto faces Hawaii�s Mike Aina at 170 in top undercard fights. The undercard also will feature Florida favorites Crafton Wallace and Seth Petruzelli, who will face foes to be announced. Wallace has won four straight and six of seven. Petruzelli, a former cast member of the Ultimate Fighter, has won eight of his last 10 fights.

 

 

LAS VEGAS - Golden Boy Promotions will put boxing matches and mixed martial arts fights side-by-side in a new partnership with Affliction, the fledgling MMA promoter run by an apparel company.

Golden Boy and Affliction will be equal partners in a venture that will put on at least four multisport events starting in 2009, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said Saturday. Many smaller attempts have been made to pair the two combat sports on the same cards, but Golden Boy and Affliction hope to be the first to do it on a major scale.

"I think the two worlds have finally merged, and this is a perfect example,'' Affliction vice president Tom Atencio said.

MMA exploded in popularity earlier in the decade with the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which dominates the sport. Affliction, a 3-year-old creator of Gothic-inflected men's T-shirts and apparel, edged into combat sports by sponsoring both MMA fighters and boxers, such as middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.

Affliction then decided to try MMA promotion after its shirts were banned at UFC events, staging a successful debut show in Anaheim, Calif., on July 19. But Affliction then postponed an event scheduled for October in Las Vegas, leading industry watchers to wonder whether the promoter already was in trouble.

Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya's burgeoning promotions company, has long been intrigued by the idea of getting into MMA, with Schaefer driving the interest in its riches and loyal fan base.

"I think there's a tremendous opportunity for crossover promotions, and to team up with such an iconic brand like Affliction is a big step for us,'' Schaefer said.

Fedor Emelianenko, the vaunted MMA heavyweight who starred in the defunct Pride Fighting Championships, is expected to headline Affliction's next show in January, which could be the start of its partnership with Golden Boy. The card's postponement from October allowed time for Emelianenko's injured hand to heal.

Affliction Clothing will produce a new line of boxing T-shirts tied to Golden Boy's upcoming bouts, including De La Hoya's fight against Manny Pacquiao, to sell in its retail outlets and at fight venues. Affliction also will make shirts featuring old covers of Ring Magazine, the once-powerful boxing journal now owned by Golden Boy.

A major announcement is expected soon from the Affliction promotion, one that could include WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko being added back to the second Affliction pay-per-view card, which has been rescheduled for Jan. 17.

However, the possibility of Affliction partnering with Golden Boy Promotions, first rumored in July, now seems likelier than ever.

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio has promised an announcement this weekend in Las Vegas, Nev. at the venue hosting a boxing match between Juan Manuel Marquez and Joel Casamayor. The announcement could pertain to possible partnership between the clothing brand turned mixed martial arts promotion and Golden Boy Promotions, which is headed by boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya.

The two promotions have been negotiating for months and there were even talks of the July 19 Affliction: Banned event being co-promoted with Golden Boy.

While Emelianenko is now slated to fight on the postponed Affliction: Day of Reckoning card, an opponent has yet to be named. However, given that the former PRIDE Fighting Championships heavyweight champion will be added back to the card, the previously announced main event will likely be scrapped.

On the original Oct. 11 date, Emelianenko was tentatively set to face Andrei Arlovski in the first defense of his newly won title. However, he was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury suffered in his 36-second victory over UFC veteran Tim Sylvia at Affliction: Banned.

Josh Barnett, who successfully avenged a loss at Affliction's inaugural pay-per-view against Pedro Rizzo, was dubbed Emelianenko's replacement. The Arlovski-Barnett match-up would have determined the number one contender for the WAMMA title.

Affliction's recently announced deal with HD Net will likely see the Mark Cuban-owned television network broadcast several preliminary bouts on the rescheduled card live immediately preceding the pay-per-view.

Affliction: Day of Reckoning will now take place on Jan. 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the same venue that drew nearly 15,000 fans to the upstart promotion's debut show in July.